WWW ~ Church Carnival is DONE!!

I'm exhausted I'm so glad that this is done and over with. I know I should look at it that way but sadly some people have made doing this impossible and very difficult! It's sad people need to be petty and show stoppers. Now I know why no one likes to volunteer.

Friday Cole had a sleep over at the next door neighbors house for the little boys birthday party. They were so sweet to let him stay over, I made up a little gift basket.

I whipped up some of Shortcut PB Cookies & threw in some popcorn

I picked these containers up at the dollar store

Saturday I worked until 10am then started on my 200 cupcakes! 11am my one and only helper came by to help frost and make the other games and signs. While here she got a call from busy body #2 called asked what she was doing, when told frosting cupcakes the comment was that is Alexis's job!!! Really so helping is not suppose to happen! Then call from busy body #1 why is she making so many cupcakes. HELLO where you in the FIVE meetings where you said there was 150 kids last year! Then came the flowers that were promised to us, yup not right so had to shop yet again for more items! Let's just say we went until 11pm working, I sat down for a sec and totally slept threw my 2nd job :(.

Sunday at church by 9am! My help was 40 minutes late leaving me with BB or Thing 1 & 2 who were no where around the set up, except to walk by and give orders! Finally Thing 2 got a bit nicer but overall no help. The carnival was fun, I ended up helping for a sec at the popcorn machine but helper for the 2nd shift never showed up so worked it the whole time. I wasn't able to walk around so not a lot of pictures. Even worked the cotton candy machine since that kept getting left with out anyone. At one time I ran put popcorn in one, cotton candy in the other. Ran back dumped the popcorn and ran back to do the cotton candy!

Now this is a lesson in a FREE event! You will have GREEDY people that will show up with backpacks and GRAB everything. We had bags of chips for the BBQ you know one for each, except this lady grabbed 10, hubs grabbed another 10. Then went back in 4 other times to grab more. Even took a bag to put cupcakes in! I'm all about the FREE but there has to be a line to leave some for others!!!

The event was great overall with out much help from thing 1 and 2, one sat down the whole time and who knows about the other! Then clean up time I cleaned up the stations and all that was left was tents, tons of youth to help. I start packing up the boys by this time it's like 4 and the boys are done. Thing 2 decided I needed to stay longer to help clean up. Hello I've been here since 9am and I've gone over and beyond.

Did I mention not ONE word Alexis you did a great job, wow you did a great job with the games and signs! Oh did comment on how my helper did a great job on the lion. Let her know politely that Rick did most of the work and yes my helper did a great job painting it but RICK should get the credit for the MOST. NOPE not even that was nice of him!!!

I'M DONE YOU'VE WON, I refuse to work with you again. And guess what I still haven't been reimbursed over $100!!!! UGH!!!

I made a quick slide show, hope you enjoy!!!

TMTT ~ Did I really sign up to make 200 Cupcakes???

The church carnival is over and I'm pooped and let's just say a whole post will be dedicated to what we call organized chaos. So one of the games I came up with (ok borrowed off a website) was a cake walk called "Walk In Jesus Footsteps". I thought hey I'll whip up some cupcakes no big deal .. lol! So I was told last year there was about 150 kids, ok well 200 cupcakes should be enough right? Well weather was horrible almost rained on us and the game was put in front instead of with the rest so the game was a bust. But don't worry I became a cupcake pusher :), and all were gone NONE came home with me!!! And to the snotty BB (busy body) #1 and #2 or as I call them now Think #1 and #2 how made comments first off why is "she" making that many cupcakes. To the next comment that came when I had a helper help me frost 200 cupcakes that why are you helping Alexis was suppose to make those!!! Yup real winners :).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My first cupcake recipe was for a yummy vanilla I found on the food networks website.

Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcake by Sara's Secrets Show

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing:

• Vanilla Buttercream,

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 2 (1/2 cup-12 capacity) muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

ALEXIS NOTES: My helper decided that buying the powder sugar and butter I needed for the buttercream she would buy the can frosting. I'm not a big fan but hey it's a team thing, next time it will be the good stuff. I would usually swap out the whole wheat flour for at least half.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Second on the list was Chocolate Cupcakes

Best Chocolate Cupcakes

1 1/4 Cups Butter - softened

1 1/4 Cups superfine (castor) sugar

1 1/2 Cups self-raising flour

3 eggs

2 tbls cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350oF (180oC).

2. Line a 12 cup cake pan, with cup cake papers.

3. Crack the eggs into a cup and beat lightly with a fork.

4. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl.

5. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until light and creamy.

6. Divide the mixture evenly between the cake cases.

7. Bake for 18-20 minutes until risen and firm to touch.

8. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

9. Allow to cool fully before icing.

ALEXIS NOTES: I doubled the recipe and added a bit more flour it was a little soupy. I also used regular sugar due to that is what I had on hand. No liners since I was doing the mini cupcakes. I again if this was for home would have done at least half whole wheat flour

I'm so sorry I was absent again, it was super busy at work and then I had to go visit a new school for Cole. I think I found a new one close to home that is like a $100 less a month so it really would help. I promise (really) I'll be by today!!!

I'm linking up to Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays and Tasty Tuesdays.

Manic Monday Meals ~ Stroganoff to Cherry Desert

First off I must apologize this last month has been insane with the carnival, summer and the boys. Well actually more than a month but I guess time flies when you're sinking! hehe I promise to catch up on giveaways, review and comments!

I wanted to try out a new name for my Monday Meals Meme. What do you think my best buddy Amy gave me an awesome title too that I'll also try out. I'm a nut (like you don't know this) about things being just a certain way. And yes I'm crazy if I have a Monday Meme it may have to have M's ... lol ;). If we like then I can even see if I can bust out a button!

Let me know what you think! Sorry this is a drive by posting I'm so exhausted from the carnival this weekend (don't worry that is a story in itself). I haven't really had a day off so I'm sorry again for being absent!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

First we start with a favorite of the boys! Stroganoff

Creamy Ground Beef Stroganoff found on Best Beef Stroganoff Recipes (click link)

Prep Time: 5-10 mins
Cook Time: 10-15 mins
Servings: 4-6
Main Ingredient: Ground Beef
Difficulty Level: 1

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon dried parsley leaves
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 (4-ounce) can mushrooms, any style
1 cup sour cream
1 (12-ounce) package egg noodles

DIRECTIONS

Step 1:

Cook noodles according to package directions. Set aside and keep warm.

Step 2:

In large skillet, brown ground beef and drain. Add onions and garlic; cook until onion has softened. Add butter and melt; add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly stir in beef broth. Add remaining ingredients, except the sour cream. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 3:

Stir in sour cream and heat through. Do not boil. Serve over cooked noodles

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Then we have a yummy desert that I sent to the neighbors house. I didn't even steal a bite but I heard it was yummy :). Cole HAD to have cherries when we were at the store and guess WHAT yup he didn't eat them but a handful. Instead of throwing them away I used them :).

Fresh Cherry Crisp Recipe found on Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 4 cups pitted sour cherries
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup shortening

• Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. In a large bowl, combine cherries, 1 1/2 cups white sugar, and 4 tablespoons flour. Pour into 9x13 inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, oats, and brown sugar. Cut in butter and shortening until crumbly. Sprinkle over cherries.
  3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.

Happy Monday Everyone! I promise to be by after work, Saturday was a GREAT day of calls so this means a good week for me!! Yeah and I may have a date night even, let's home my sitter comes threw.

Last Week of Carnival Craziness! (PINT Style)

Thursday DVD Review ~ Trying to Catch up!

Finally have my TV and DVD playing back up and running and it was a catch up. When hot outside I can't sleep so it's DVD watching time :). Hope you enjoy some of these!

Usually Brendan Fraser annoys the heck out of me but I couldn't stop laughing at this movie. The freaking animals messing with him was so hilarious. There is a part he has to come out in a pink jumpsuits of his wives (Brooke Sheilds) that has yum on both butt check, stomach hanging out and all. I think I laughed so hard coffee came out my noise! This is one I will have to go buy this week while it's on sale, ok coupon girls help me out with a kicking coupon off this :).

When real estate developer Dan Sanders (Brendan Fraser) finalizes plans to level a swath of pristine Oregon forest to make way for a soulless housing subdivision, a band of woodland creatures rises up to throw a monkey wrench into the greedy scheme. Just how much mischief from the furry critters can the businessman take before he calls it quits? Roger Kumble directs this family-friendly, madcap comedy.

I have this bad thing once I read the book it is very hard for the movie to ever compare! The movie cut out a bunch which was kind of disappointing since it cut out some really good things that helped with the plot. I miss the pastor and dad's relationship and Miley just wasn't punk like the book. I'm sorry I kept here freaking Hannah Montana in the way she talked and acted! Over all a good movie, but if you read the book you're going to be not loving this movie as much as you did the book. This is one you should watch movie then read book :).

Miley Cyrus has top billing as 17-year-old Ronnie Miller, a rebellious former piano prodigy who doesn't hide her hostility after being sent off to spend the summer in Georgia with her estranged father (Greg Kinnear). Rebuffing her dad's attempts to reconnect, the aloof Ronnie begins to thaw when she meets beach volleyballer Will Blakelee (Liam Hemsworth). Kelly Preston also stars in this contemporary tearjerker based on the Nicholas Sparks novel.

This is one of the movies that you laugh at certain points and then it's lacking something. I must admit there is a food fight in the cake store that was so funny. I love America Ferrera but even she couldn't make me love this movie.

Forest Whitaker and funnyman Carlos Mencia butt heads as two domineering dads forced to set aside their culture-clash differences and team up to plan their children's wedding, with only two weeks until the big day arrives. America Ferrera plays the pregnant bride-to-be opposite Lance Gross as her medical resident fiancé in this wacky comedy from writer-director Rick Famuyiwa (Brown Sugar, The Wood).

I've heard such great things about this show but I'm sorry I couldn't get into it, I really tried but it and her bugged me.

The great Edie Falco (in a Golden Globe-nominated role) stars as feisty emergency room nurse Jackie Peyton, who boldly navigates the storm of patients, doctors, fellow nurses and her own demons at a New York hospital -- occasionally with the aid of unprescribed prescription drugs. A wicked combination of dark comedy and poignant drama, this Showtime series also stars Eve Best, Haaz Sleiman, Merritt Wever, Paul Schulze and Peter Facinelli.

Growing up the fluffy girl threw school I just had to watch the show. At first you hate Annie Potts which who could hate my designing woman character but here she wasn't the nicest to her fluffy daughter. I could never have had the guts to follow threw and run for prom queen when my name was put in as a joke. You love her!

Overweight high-school senior Maggie Baker always felt sorry for herself for not being as skinny, pretty or wealthy as the popular girls at school. When Maggie's name ends up on the list of nominees for the homecoming court as a prank by her classmates, she is mortified. Rather than drop out as expected, Maggie chooses to stay on the ballot in order represent all the "outcasts" at school. As word of her courageousness spreads, Maggie becomes a local celebrity and a symbol for all those who are bullied in high school. But when Maggie's newfound fame goes to her head, the kids who stood by her begin to resent her. Maggie is forced to take a long, hard look at herself and reevaluate which battles are worth fighting.

An overweight and unhealthy mom (Meg Ryan) let's her son off to the FBI. He returns home to find one hot smoking mom that is dating guys younger then him. Oh yes she is my inspiration, well not the dating part but the hot smoking mom :). It was a funny movie with some slow parts but over all it's just one of the movies you laugh at but don't get anything out of.

A federal agent (Colin Hanks) is assigned to spy on his mother (Meg Ryan) and her new boyfriend (Antonio Banderas) -- a suspect in an international art theft ring.

The Devil's Teardrop

You know me and my lifetime movies! This is a suspense one, no mush love story this time. Well maybe a little undertone but not my usual movie so take that .. hehe. I've always love Tom Everett Scott so I knew I had to watch it then you add in Natasha Henstridge and I was all in. It's a great story it goes where you think it will but keeps you interested the whole time.

When Washington D.C. is terrorized by a serial killer, the only piece of evidence that FBI Special Agent Margaret Lukas (Natasha Henstridge) has to work with is a ransom note written by the perpetrator. Desperate to solve the case before the killer strikes again, Agent Lukas turns to renowned handwriting analyst Parker Kincaid (Tom Everett Scott). Kincaid is a former FBI agent who quit the force after his young son was attacked by an escaped killer that Kincaid had helped capture. While joining forces with Lukas to track down the murderer, Kincaid is also fighting his ex-wife (Rena Sofer) for what’s most dear to him — the custody of his children. This thriller is based on New York Times best-selling author Jeffery Deaver’s (“The Bone Collector”) mystery novel of the same name.

WWW ~ Painting, Swimming & Stepping Stone Project

Another amazing and crazy weekend! It was super hot here this weekend so it was a get out of the house before we melt.

Rick had 2 days off in a row and totally busting his rear to get our project done. I was so proud of him for working so hard and getting this done for me. He's trying to earn back some brownie points :). We won't let him know but he's making some up :). He retextured all the walls, painted and put up the molding around the doors and the waynes coating!

Saturday after work the house was boiling and we had to get out before the boys went nutty! We went to visit one of my childhood best friends who live 2 doors down from my parents. Cole even was able to go out and swim by himself which he doesn't usually do. We had a few good drinks and just hung out. I even finished a book, next time I promise to get in the water and noodle with the girls.

Adventures in Caden, he had so much fun on DRY land ... lol he got a bit in the water and more adventurous. We tried the no diaper since it was waste-less to keep putting new ones on. Sadly the only undies where Khari's ... lol I at least turned the pink ones inside out.

Cole had adventures in Stepping Stones. Sadly was a little too eager to paint and it broke so we have to make a new one but it was fun.

Another hot few days here, hoping it will cool down. But the weekend ok if it's hot we'll go swimming again :). Have a great week!